After I got off work, I drove down to meet James at our new house to do a final walk-through to make sure all the touch-ups were done and everything was ready. Then we headed to the title company to sign all the closing documents for our new home. I don't know if it was lack of sleep or what, but it still seems too unreal. We have family coming into town, and ward members lined up for this weekend to start moving our stuff in. Here we go! Ready for a new adventure.
So, with all the stress of packing, cleaning, getting schools, utilities, EVERYTHING switched over to our new home. I needed a time-out. I called my mom to see if she wanted to go for a drive. She came and picked me up, and we actually went out to lunch first. After that, we took a drive up to Kolob Reservoir. The colors are starting to change, and it is absolutely beautiful and just what I needed. I felt like I could breathe and pause the chaos that is my life right now to just enjoy this beautiful day and scenery. It helped rejuvenate me and get me ready for the next big push.
I honestly can't believe this is happening in 6 days; we will be signing our closing documents and becoming homeowners. No more uncertainty about rentals jacking up their prices or wanting us out to turn it into an Airbnb. OUR. VERY. OWN. HOME!!!! This is so surreal.
We are still in shock and waiting for the "just kidding". But as of now, it is time to pack because we were approved for the townhome and have a closing date of Sept. 30th !!!!
So, technically, she won't be a new driver for another year. At least that's when she can get her learner's permit. But our car is a stick shift; we felt it couldn't hurt for her to start early. We took her to a church parking lot, and we stayed there for a good hour and a half. By the end, she was getting more comfortable with starting and stopping without killing the engine. Her starts were becoming smoother, and her turns as well. It wasn't quite as scary as I had imagined, but we were just in a parking lot. I'm not so sure about having her on the road.
It's that time of year again. This one snuck up on us, and I am sad that we didn't get out and do more of the fun stuff I wanted to do. But alas, it is now time for more learning and a new school year. So off they go, and I wish them the best of luck and a whole lot of fun this school year.
I know I am biased. But honestly, I have a seriously talented girl. She gets bored, then tries new costumes, outfits, or makeup techniques, and blows us away. Today's adventure is a CD mishap. Using paint, makeup, and super glue (OUCH!), she created a gory-looking but very awesome makeup technique. She has such talent and so many creative ideas that I hope she has the confidence to consider making a career out of this someday.
For the past 15 years, we have moved from one rental to another or into a parent's home. We never thought we could be homeowners again. I was always hopeful. I kept an eye on the listings, seeing if the market was improving. But usually it just kept going up and up and UP, to the point where a first-time homebuyer could get a starter home in the $400,000-$500, 000 range. REALLY?!?! Who in the world has half a million dollars for a STARTER HOME! Needless to say, looking at these homes became more of a wishful thinking/day dreaming activity rather than something we thought could actually happen. Then we noticed a downturn in prices. We started thinking maybe in 5 years or so, prices will be affordable for us. A lot of people told us to look into this new community that was being built by a company called D.R. Horton. Well, we finally took that advice. We are now in the application process to see if we can purchase one of their brand-new townhomes. At this stage, we are trying to be positive but realistic as well and not get our hopes up. So send us your positive vibes and happy thoughts that maybe this could work.
Avery wanted to hang out with a friend at a park in St. George. They could only hang out for a couple of hours, and honestly, with the temperature being over 100, we knew they wouldn't last long. We didn't want to drive back home, only to turn around an hour or so later to pick her up, so we decided to make a day of it. We dropped her off at the park with her friend, and then James and I took Kilian to the Wildlife Museum. In all the years we've lived here, this is the first time we've gone to this museum, and I would like to try to visit more of our local attractions. They had a variety of animals, insects, and a fun kids section where there was a place to feel the different coats of fur and learn about animals in different climates. James and I thought it was neat and quite enjoyed ourselves. Kilian did get a little bored after a while. But we learned something new, got to explore a local attraction, and killed some time before we went and picked Avery up before heading home.
Today we had an unexpected guest come to work. Around 3 or 4 deer came walking through the back of the property from the stream. They didn't seem spooked by the clients who were sitting by the fire pit. They looked at them and then just continued on their merry way. It was such a beautiful and peaceful site. I really love where I work.
